The present invention is directed generally to an apparatus for disposing of pet waste and the like and more particularly to an improved apparatus and method by which pet waste and the like may be easily picked up, carried and disposed of without soiling one""s hands.
Due to increasing pet population, certain large cities have adopted ordinances requiring pet owners to clean up after their pets. Even in areas where such cleanliness is not a prescribed ordinance, it is often desirable to dispose of pet waste and the like in order to maintain attractive lawns which are safe to walk on without soiling one""s shoes.
There have been various attempts to deal with these problems in the past. Some individuals have been known to place one of their hands inside a bag of flexible material, such as plastic, as if it were a glove, pick up the waste material using the xe2x80x9cglovedxe2x80x9d hand, and pull the end of the bag off of the hand in a manner so as to invert the bag around the waste material and package it for later disposal. However, this xe2x80x9cglovedxe2x80x9d hand method is esthetically unpleasing, and otherwise unpleasant to the pet owner, particularly if the bag breaks at an in opportune moment.
Other devices utilize a plastic bag and a frame, or multiple frames, that may be collapsible and are used as scoops or shovels to place the waste material within the bag so that the bag may be inverted around the excrement and packaged for disposal. However, oftentimes these frame and bag devices are non-intuitive in use, do not adequately pick up the pet excrement, and due to the flimsy materials are prone to breakage.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for an apparatus for picking up and dispensing pet waste, such as dog excrement. The present invention fulfills this need and provides other related advantages.
The present invention resides in an apparatus for disposing pet waste. The apparatus generally comprises a housing defining a pet waste receiving opening, and an internal temporary pet waste storage area. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the housing has a base with a beveled front edge. A pair of control arms are slidably connected to opposite side walls of the housing. Typically, each control arm has an elongated slot that receives a peg extending from the side wall. A handle extends between first ends of the control arms for controlling the position of the control arms.
An L-shaped door is pivotally connected at one end to a front wall of the housing adjacent the pet waste receiving opening. The door is also pivotally connected to the control arms so as to be movable between open and closed positions. In a particularly preferred embodiment, a front edge of the door is beveled to cooperate with the front edge of the base, which is often disposed at an angle, to capture pet excrement within the housing. Also, the housing preferably includes one or more handles extending therefrom to assist in positioning and scooping of the pet excrement.
In use, the control arm handle is pushed forward to open the door. The pet waste receiving opening is placed behind the pet waste, and the handle of the control arms is pulled to close the door and capture the pet waste within the pet waste storage interior area of the housing. The owner may push the housing forward such that the beveled base slides under the pet excrement, while the front edge of the door scoops the pet excrement into the housing.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.